A defenceman during his playing career, McCauley became a referee after injury forced his retirement from playing in 1997. He refereed his first NHL regular season game in 2003 and became a full time NHL referee in 2005. He has been selected to work in four consecutive Stanley Cup Finals since 2013.

McCauley is married with three children and, as of 2010, was living in South Portland, Maine, where his wife Bethany grew up. His younger brother Blaine McCauley also played professional hockey; Wes was one of the referees in Blaine's professional debut in 2000.[4]